Welcome to Zion Lutheran Church Thanksgiving Eve Service November 24, 2016 Every gathering for worship has elements of thanksgiving. When we are nourished with God s bounty in holy communion, when we partake of Jesus word that gives life to the world, and even when two or three of us simply join our hearts in prayer to make our requests known to God, we do so with thanksgiving. Let us give thanks to the Lord, who is good and whose mercy endures forever. This service will be broadcast on KROS, 1340 AM, November 24 at 10:00 a.m.
INTRODUCTION Welcome to worship at Zion Lutheran Church. May this time honor God and inspire you. Reverence and quiet reflection before worship assists us to prepare you can help set the tone. Please sign the Welcome to Zion pew pad and pass it to your neighbor. As it returns, glance at the other names and greet one another. Restrooms are located in the hallway on the west side of the sanctuary and in the hallway near the gathering space.. Large print bulletins are available from an usher. May you experience the warm fellowship and joy of Jesus in our midst. Assisted listening devices are available in the narthex, ask an usher. All bold print is to be read by the entire congregation. PRELUDE: Thanksgiving Suite - Charles Callahan ANNOUNCEMENTS RINGING OF THE BELL Stand Gathering The Holy Spirit calls us together to grow in faith. GREETING P The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. And also with you. ENTRANCE HYMN: Come, Ye Thankful People, Come Bulletin, Page 12 THANSKGIVING LITANY A Let us give thanks to God our Father, always and for everything. For the beauty and wonder of creation, C We thank you, Lord A For all that is gracious in the lives of men and women, revealing the image of Christ, C We thank you, Lord. A For our daily food, for our homes and families and friends, C We thank you, Lord. A For minds to think and hearts to love, C We thank you, Lord. A For health, strength, and skill to work, and for leisure to rest and play, C We thank you, Lord. A For those who are brave and courageous, patient in suffering, and faithful in adversity, C We thank you, Lord. A For all who pursue peace, justice, and truth, C We thank you, Lord. A For all the saints whose lives have reflected the light of Christ, C We thank you, Lord. 1
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS P God of all creation, you have given us everything we need; yet we have squandered the gifts, hiding them away from those in need; turning our backs on others; deciding that our own comfort and possessions are far more important than serving you. In your love, you created all that we have, and we thank you for the wonderful gifts of the earth and the gifts of family and friends. Forgive us when we have been so selfish and blind that we have not expressed our gratitude for these blessings. Forgive us when we have been given opportunities for service and have chosen to sit back and watch. Heal and restore us, we pray. In Jesus Name, Amen. P Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through the grace of Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. PRAYER OF THE DAY P Let us pray. Almighty God our Father, your generous goodness comes to us new every day. By the work of your Spirit lead us to acknowledge your goodness, give thanks for your benefits, and serve you in willing obedience, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, Amen. WORD Christ s teaching growing in the Spirit Sit FIRST READING: Deuteronomy 26:1-11 The annual harvest festival called the feast of Weeks provides the setting for today s reading. This festival celebrates the first fruits of the produce of the land, offered back to God in thanks. As they bring their offerings, worshipers remember and proclaim God s gracious acts on behalf of Israel. 1 When you have come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, and you possess it, and settle in it, 2 you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. 3 You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time, and say to him, "Today I declare to the LORD your God that I have come into the land that the LORD swore to our ancestors to give us." 4 When the priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of the LORD your God, 5 you shall make this response before the LORD your God: "A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. 6 When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, 7 we cried to the LORD, the God of our ancestors; the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. 8 The LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; 9 and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10 So now I bring the first of the fruit of the 2
ground that you, O LORD, have given me." You shall set it down before the LORD your God and bow down before the LORD your God. 11 Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the LORD your God has given to you and to your house. R The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. PSALM: Psalm 100 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; come into God s presence with a song. Know that the Lord is God, our maker to whom we belong; we are God s people and the sheep of God s pasture. Enter the gates of the Lord with thanksgiving and the courts with praise; give thanks and bless God s holy name. Good indeed is the Lord, whose steadfast love is everlasting, whose faithfulness endures from age to age. SECOND READING: Philippians 4:4-9 Paul urges the Christians at Philippi to rejoice, to be thankful, and to dwell on everything worthy of praise. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you. R The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Stand GOSPEL ACCLAMATION: How Great Thou Art O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder Consider all the works thy hands have made, I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder, Thy pow r throughout the universe displayed; Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee, How great thou art! How great thou art! (repeat last two lines) 3
GOSPEL: John 6:25-35 The day after he multiplies bread to feed five thousand people, Jesus is pursued by the crowds clamoring for more bread. Recalling the image of manna in the wilderness, Jesus promises to provide the true bread from heaven that will never fail. Jesus himself is that bread of life. P The Holy Gospel according to John the 6th Chapter. Glory to you, O Lord. 25 When [the disciples] found [Jesus] on the other side of the sea, they said to him, Rabbi, when did you come here? 26 Jesus answered them, Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal. 28 Then they said to him, What must we do to perform the works of God? 29 Jesus answered them, This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent. 30 So they said to him, What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. 32 Then Jesus said to them, Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. 34 They said to him, Sir, give us this bread always. 35 Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. P The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ. Sit SERMON Pr. Duane Miller Stand HYMN OF THE DAY: Now Thank We All Our God Bulletin, Page 13 APOSTLES' CREED I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen THE PRAYERS Each petition ends with: Lord, in your mercy, please respond with: Hear our prayer. PEACE P The peace of the Lord be with you always. C And also with you. The ministers and the congregation may greet one another with a gesture of peace, using these or similar words: Peace be with you. 4 Sit
OFFERING ANTHEM: Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow - Piet Post OFFERTORY: Praise & Thanksgiving ctext: Albert F. Bayly, b. 1901, alt Tune: Gaelic OFFERTORY PRAYER A Merciful God, as grains of wheat scattered upon the hills were gathered together to become one bread, so let your church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom, for yours is the glory through Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen. MEAL Do this in remembrance of Me GREAT THANKSGIVING P The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise. It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise...we praise your name and join their unending hymn: 5
Sung Response: ctext: Albert F. Bayly, b. 1901, alt Tune: Gaelic EUCHARISTIC PRAYER/WORDS OF INSTITUTION P Holy God, our Bread of life, our Table, and our Food, you created a world in which all might be satisfied by your abundance. You dined with Abraham and Sarah, promising them life. And fed your people Israel with manna from heaven You sent your son to eat with sinners and to become food for the world. In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me. Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: this cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me. Remembering, therefore, his life given for us and his rising from the grave, we await his coming again to share with us the everlasting feast. By your Spirit nurture and sustain us with this meal: strengthen us to serve all in hunger and want, and by this bread and cup make us the body of your Son. Through him all glory and honor is yours, Almighty Father, with the Holy Spirit, in your Holy Church, both now and forever. Amen 6
LORD S PRAYER P Lord, remember us in your love and teach us to pray Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen INVITATION TO COMMUNION Communion is served by intinction the wafer is dipped in the red wine or white grape juice. Please come forward in two continuous lines as the ushers direct you, receive the sacrament, and return to your seat by the outside aisles. Gluten-free wafers are available at each station, please indicate to the server and you will be invited to take a wafer from the dish. All who believe that Christ is truly present are welcome to partake of this meal. Sit COMMUNION HYMNS: Lamb of God Communion Meditation: We Praise You, O God - Wayne Wold Stand P The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace. Amen 7
POST COMMUNION PRAYER A Let us pray. We give you thanks, shepherding God, that you have gathered your scattered flock again this day, feeding us richly with the food of Paradise. Accompany us as we serve you all the days of our lives, and gather us with the saints in the day of our death; through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and Lord. Amen. BLESSING P The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord s face shine on you with grace and mercy. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace. Amen. CLOSING HYMN: Let All Things Now Living Bulletin, Page 14 DISMISSAL P Go in peace. Christ is with you. C Thanks be to God. SENDING The Holy Spirit leads us out into the world. POSTLUDE: Now Thank We All Our God - Sigfrid Karg-Elert Liturgy and music: Reprinted from Evangelical Lutheran Worship, on line addition, c.2006 Augsburg Fortress. Used by permission of Augsburg Fortress License #11347-S WORSHIP LEADERS Proclaimer and Celebrant: Pr Duane Miller Pianist: Bette Mohr Assisting Minister: Linda Gruhn Reader: Judy Carstensen Communion Assistants: Dorothea Olsen, Helen Steen Crucifer: Skip Carstensen Altar Guild: Skip & Judy Carstensen This service will be broadcast on KROS, 1340 AM, November 24 at 10:00 a.m. Front cover graphics: Adayinthelifeoftheyouthdirector.blogspot.com
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Clearly the promises of physical blessings are like the nuts and apples we use to get the attention of our children. God gets our attention with physical blessings so that we will learn to appreciate eternal blessings. This is how God encourages us to expect eternal life. God s purpose in giving us food and water isn t merely that we eat and drink without thinking, as horses and donkeys do. Rather, he gives us physical blessings so that we will realize that he is loving and kind. This will help us to believe he will take care of all our needs. Even if God gave us only a piece of straw, he would want us to acknowledge him as the eternal God whose kindness is overflowing. If we still believe in him, we will have eternal life. Even though Abraham didn t see all of these promises fulfilled in his own lifetime, he still believed God. That s why he was given eternal life. (Martin Luther, volume3:page 149) 10
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ENTRANCE HYMN: Come, Ye Thankful People, Come 12 ELW 693
HYMN OF THE DAY: Now Thank We All Our God ELW 640 13
CLOSING HYMN: Let All Things Now Living ELW 881 14
OPPORTUNITIES FOR November 30th-December 8th 26 Saturday 4:15 PM: Bible Study 5:30 PM: Worship 27 Sunday 8:00 AM: Worship 9:00 AM: Fellowship 9:15 AM: Sunday School/Bible Study 10:30 AM: Worship 28 Monday 9:00 AM: Quilters 6:00 PM FOCHUS Class 29 Tuesday 9:30 AM: Staff Meeting 1:00 PM: Courier Assembly 4:30 PM: Spirit Song Band 30 Wednesday 9:00 AM: Morning Prayer 9:45 AM: Staff Meeting 4:30 PM: Youth Bells 6:15 PM: Choir 7:15 PM: Bells 1 Thursday 6:30 PM: Elizabeth Circle 2 Friday 3 Saturday 4 Sunday 9:00 AM: Silent Auction 4:15 PM: Bible Study 5:30 PM: Worship 8:00 AM: Worship 9:00 AM: Fellowship 9:15 AM: Bible Study/Sunday School 10:30 AM: Worship Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church 439-3rd Avenue South, Clinton, Iowa (563) 242-7391 www.zionlutheranclinton.org Rev. Duane Miller pastorduane@zionlutheranclinton.org Cell phone: 515-867-1162 Carla Zavala, Office Manager officemanager@zionlutheranclinton.org Shannon Spooner, Custodian custodian@zionlutheranclinton.org The 8:00 am worship service will be broadcast on KROS, 1340 AM and 105.9 FM, at 10:30 am